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Degu Care (Octodon Degus)

​by Susan Horton, DVM
Picture
Taking Care of your Degu

The degu (Octodon Degus) is native to the western foothills of the Andes .  It is the most prolific mammal in Chile , where it is considered an agricultural pest.  Since their importation into the US in 1964, degus have become a popular subject of research in the areas of diabetes, cataracts, and circadian behavior.  Studies have shown that degus are social, long-lived and have a low incidence of disease, traits that make them outstanding pets.

Classification

Degus are rodents belonging to the suborder Hystricognathi (“porcupine-like rodents’) based upon jaw musculature and skull structure.  They belong to the family Octodontidae.  Octodon refers to the “figure 8” shape of their cheek teeth.  Other names for the degu include brush-tailed rat and trumpet-tailed rat.   

Anatomy/Physiology

Degus resemble large gerbils and are dark grayish-brown with a dark brush on the tip of the tail.  Their pupils are elliptical.  The kidneys produce urine that is normally yellow and thick.  Degus are hind-gut fermentors and have a functioning cecum.  Their adrenal glands are relatively large.  They have five toes on each foot.  

Behavior

Degus are diurnal and do not hibernate.  They dig elaborate burrows, are highly social and communicate via vocalizations and postures.  If degus are not given social interaction and physical stimuli, they may become aggressive or self mutilate.  Fighting is rare even when new introductions occur.  They enjoy human interaction. 

Housing

Degus should be provided with a large cage containing shelves, branches, a running wheel and plenty of room to exercise.  Wood shavings, recycled paper products and hay are all suitable bedding materials.  A dust bath should be provided as for chinchillas.  At least two degus should be housed together. 

Picture
Diet

Diet in the wild includes a wide variety of plants, roots, seeds, fruit and livestock droppings.  A successful captive diet consists of a mixture of rodent blocks and guinea pig chow along with grass hay.  Carrots, sweet potatoes, other vegetables, seeds and peanuts are given as treats.  Foods containing sugar (e.g., fruits, raisins, breakfast cereal, honey treat sticks) should be avoided.  Note that most pelleted feeds contain molasses, which is used as a binder.  Starchy foods may also pose a risk.                                                                                   

Annual Checkup

A complete physical examination, review of diet and husbandry and fecal analysis are recommended on an annual basis.

Methods of Restraint

Degus are usually scooped up with two hands.  They may be scruffed or held in an encircling grip for examination.  Grasping by the tail should be avoided, as tail degloving easily occurs, requiring amputation of the tail.  Degus readily learn to step into a net, so this method can also be used. 

Breeding

Degus reach puberty at a later age than many rodents.  Breeding should begin when the female is 4-9 months of age and body weight is below 250 g. In spite of their long gestation, degus are not born as fully developed as one would expect.  The young are born with sparse fur and their eyes open around day 3.  Both parents assist with thermoregulation, huddling over the litter to keep them warm.  The pups lie on their backs to suckle while the mother lies on top of them.  Pups nurse for about 25 minutes.  Male degus participate in raising the pups, so the pair must stay together for successful breeding to take place.  Infanticide is rare among degus.   

Quick Facts for Degu Owners  
  • Degus are social animals and enjoy human attention.
  • Do not pick your degu up by the tail.
  • Limit sugary foods and fruits in the diet.
  • Limit fatty foods such as seeds and peanuts. 
  • Water bottles or sipper tubes should be cleaned often.
  • Avoid overheating.
 
Vital Statistics

Body length
12.5 - 19.5 cm
Tail Length
10.5 - 16.5 cm
Body weight
​170-300 g
​Normal body temp
101.8 F
Average lifespan
5-8 years
Maximum lifespan
10 years
Age sexual maturity
3-4 months
Breeding season
year-round
Gestation
87-93 days
Litter size
1-10 pups
Weaning
4-6 weeks
Litters per year
2-3
If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 847-329-8709.
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  • Home
  • Emergency Care
  • Care Sheets
    • General Care >
      • Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM)
      • Heating Reptile Enclosures
      • Health Veggie Shopping for Reptiles
      • Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
      • Metabolic Bone Disease Care
      • Vaccines in Exotic Animals
    • Birds >
      • Amazon Care
      • Avian Influenza Fact Sheet
      • Avian Influenza for Poultry Fact Sheet
      • Avian Bornavirus Testing
      • Budgie Care
      • Canaries
      • Chicken Care
      • Chronic Egg Laying
      • Cleaning and Disinfecting
      • Cockatiels (and other small Psittacines)
      • Cockatoo Care
      • ​Converting Your Bird to a Pelleted Diet
      • Feather Picking
      • General Parrot Care
      • Handfeeding Baby Parrots
      • Healthy Shopping for your Birds
      • Infectious Diseases of Parrots
      • Instructions for Physical Therapy in Birds
      • Lead Poisoning
      • McWatters Diet (Homemade Mash)
      • Macaw Care
      • Parrot Precautions
      • Polyoma Virus
      • Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease
      • Proventricular Dilatation Disease
      • Spiroform Pharangitis (Spirochetes)
      • Baby Starling and Sparrow guidelines
      • Can smoke affect my bird?
      • Territorial Aggression
      • Unsafe Plants for Birds
      • Weaning Baby Birds
      • What to Feed Your Pet Bird
      • Wing Injury and Rehabilitation
      • Wing Trims
      • Your Overly Reproductive Female Bird
      • Zinc Toxicity
    • Caiman Care
    • Ferret and Fox Care >
      • Your Ferret’s First Visit to the Vet
      • An Overview of Ferret Adrenal Disease
      • Chronic Diarrhea in Ferrets
      • Ferret Dentistry
      • Heart Disease in Ferrets
      • Heartworm Disease in Ferrets
      • Insulinoma in Ferrets
      • Lymphoma In Ferrets
      • Bob’s Chicken Gravy
      • Fennec Foxes
      • Red Foxes
    • Fish >
      • Algae in your Freshwater Aquarium
      • Eel Care
      • Freshwater Tropical Fish Care
      • Beginning a Freshwater Aquarium
      • Cleaning your Freshwater Aquarium
      • How to Feed your Fish
      • Aquarium Corals
      • Koi Care
      • General Goldfish Care
    • Invertebrate Care >
      • Blue Death Feigning Beetle Care
      • Giant Vinegaroon Care
      • Asian Forest Scorpion
      • Hairy Desert Scorpion
      • Hermit Crab Care
      • Tarantula Care - Basic
      • Millipede care
    • Frogs, Toads, and Other Amphibians >
      • Argentine Horned Frogs
      • Bullfrog Care
      • Dart Frog Care
      • Feeding Pet Frogs and Toads
      • Fire Bellied Toad Care
      • Pixie Frog Care
      • Red Eyed Tree Frog Care
      • Short Tongue Syndrome
      • Tiger Salamander Care
      • Axolotl Care
      • White Lipped Tree Frog Care
      • White's Tree Frog Care
      • Ranavirus
    • Guinea Pigs and Rodents >
      • Chinchilla Care
      • Cuy Criollo (Giant Guinea Pig)
      • Health Problems with Guinea Pigs
      • Degu Care
      • Gerbil Care
      • Guinea Pig Care
      • Hamster Care
      • Diabetic Hamster Diet
      • Mice Care
      • Rat Care
      • Health Problems with Rats
      • Prairie Dog Care
      • Odontoma
      • Veggies For Guinea Pigs
      • Visible Tumors in Rodents
      • Vitamin C Deficiency In Guinea Pigs
    • Hedgehog Care >
      • Baby Hedgehog (Hoglet) Care
    • Kinkajoos and Armadillos >
      • Kinkajou Care
      • Nine Banded Armadillo Care
    • Lizards >
      • Anole Care
      • Bearded Dragon Care
      • Blue Tongued Skink Care
      • Crested Gecko Care
      • Geckos of New Caledonia
      • Crocodile Monitor Care
      • Frilled Lizard Care
      • Green Iguana Care
      • Jackson's Chameleon Care
      • Leopard Gecko Care
      • Nile Monitor Care
      • Old World Chameleon Care
      • Panther Chameleon Care
      • Red-Eyed Crocodile Skink Care
      • Savannah Monitor Care
      • Tegu Care
      • Thai Water Dragon Care
      • Uromastyx Care
      • Veiled Chameleon Care
    • Potbellied Pigs >
      • Pot Belly Pigs
      • Diamond Skin Disease
    • Rabbits >
      • Bonding Rabbits Bullet Point Checklist
      • Healthy Shopping for Rabbits
      • Complete Rabbit Care
      • Getting To Know Your New Bunny
      • Training Your Bunny
      • What To Feed Your Rabbit
      • Learning to Use the Litter Box
      • What To Expect From Your New Rabbit
      • Dental Disease in Rabbits
      • Heart Disease in Rabbits
      • Healthy Stool in Rabbits
      • Gastrointestinal Stasis in Rabbits
      • RHDV2 Fact Sheet
      • Parasites of Rabbits
      • Sore Hocks in Rabbits
      • Pasteurella in Rabbits
      • Medicating Your Rabbit or Guinea Pig
    • Snakes >
      • Amazon Tree Boa Care
      • Ball Python Care
      • Black Rat Snake Care
      • Boa Constrictor Care
      • Brazilian Rainbow Boa Care
      • Burmese Python Care
      • California Kingsnake Care
      • Cornsnake Care
      • Dumeril's Boa Care
      • Eastern Kingsnake Care
      • Emerald Tree Boa Care
      • Garter Snake Care
      • Green Tree Python Care
      • Western Hognose Care
      • Mexican Black Kingsnake Care
      • Rosy Boa Care
      • Sand Boa Care
      • Western Fox Snake Care
      • Inclusion Body Disease
    • Sugar Gliders and Marsupials
    • Turtles and Tortoises >
      • Alligator Snapping Turtle Care
      • Bell's Hingeback Care
      • Box Turtle Care
      • Chinese Box Turtle Care
      • Common Snapping Turtle Care
      • General Tortoise Husbandry
      • Leopard Tortoise Care
      • Mud Turtle Care
      • Musk Turtle Care
      • Painted Turtle Care
      • Red Eared Slider Care
      • Russian Tortoise Care
      • Soft Shelled Turtle Care
      • Sulcata Care >
        • Diet For Sulcata Tortoises
      • Common Health Problems
      • General Care of Aquatic Turtles
      • Redfoot tortoise Care
  • Contact
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